Telangana: 881 encroachments identified in 11 water bodies of Ameenpur

Hyderabad: Telangana State Pollution Control Board (TSPCB) has informed the National Green Tribunal (NGT) that 881 encroachments have been identified in 11 water bodies in Ameenpur.
Even state-built Indiramma houses were on the encroached lakebed. Notices were issued to 780 structures under Section 23 of the Telangana Water, Land and Trees Act (WALTA). TSPCB has informed that remaining notices could not be issued as owners could not be identified. “Ameenpur municipality had issued notices to 637 identified encroachers under the Town & Country Planning Rules. So far, 259 replies were received from the encroachers, submitting that they have been residing in those houses for the past 20 years with necessary permissions,” PCB said in its reply. PCB prepared an action plant along with other stakeholders, including HMDA, for removal of encroachments and restoration of water bodies of Ameenpur. Notices will be served and encroachments removed. It was decided to construct pillars all along the water bodies’ FTL boundaries to prevent further encroachment. And, Rs 64 lakhs has been sanctioned for the purpose, it said.
“The FTL and buffer zones are fixed for all the lakes. The Lake Protection Committee Meeting was conducted and vigilant teams, comprising members from revenue, irrigation, municipality, HMDA and police, to safeguard and protect the water bodies were formed. Tahsildar has been appointed as ‘point person’ for each water body under their jurisdiction. Display boards erected at every water body mentioning the name and phone number of the ‘point person’, while the girdawar of the mandal concerned has been made supervisory officer,” PCB added.
Authorities took up restoration of the lakes under Mission Kakatiya programme and works were taken up with a sanction of Rs 5crore. Storm water drains have to be built to divert excess water flow from upstream areas to Uskebavi and Shambuni kunta, PCB said. “Underground sewage network is under progress,” the reply added. Authorities had identified 10 industries in upstream of Ameenpur Pedda Cheruvu. The fingerprint analysis of samples collected from the tank and the drains in April 2020 indicate no discharge of industrial effluents into the lake.